Paradigm 12: Leading with Intentionality - by design or default.

I began by asking us whether leaders are born or made! The Biblical answer is that leaders are called and prepared by God. We may not all feel that we are called to leadership, but each one of us must be open to all that God wants to do with our lives.

David was called (Ps:78:70) to be king, and the prophets were called to their ministry, but kingship and priesthood was otherwise hereditary. In the NT there is no hereditary leadership. Suitable persons are appointed (Ac 14:23) by others in authority.

In this chapter Edmund Chan encourages us to lead with "purpose and intentionality", doing something knowing why we are doing it and what we aim to achieve by it. We cannot operate by default, when we do something simply because it worked in the past.
Leading by design means that we:

• have a set of core values that guide thinking. We do not lead by impulse or moods
• do not feel rushed to make a hasty decisions
• consult with key stakeholders instead of depending only on themselves.
• help people grow instead of engineering circumstances to test or hurt them.
• nurture others instead of using them to achieve their ends
• know when to speak and when to be quiet (i.e. they don't show off or just try to keep the peace)
• go out of their comfort zone to grow and develop knowledge and skills
• are hungry to learn and improve
• lead with questions, not answers. They build the organization, not their own influence.
• constantly look out for successors
• lead with the end in mind -  a legacy of people, not merely of projects.

The Bible gives some direct guidance about good leadership. There are positive and negative examples, certainly. There are also some sections that address leadership requirements directly.

The kings of Israel were to be taken from the people of Israel and were not to ever forget that they were not to lord it over their brothers. They were guided to not acquire many horses or wives; to hand-write a copy of the law, to read it and to fear the Lord. They were not to be proud of their station above the people, or to turn from God's law (Dt 17:14-20). This speaks of the danger of leaders taking advantage of their position for personal gain, of pride, of encouraging their followers to compromise on spiritual principles (returning to Egypt, their place of bondage), of getting distracted by pleasure or worldly alliances, causing them to lose a personal relationship with God,  and thinking that they were above the law of God.

Proverbs has general advice about wise leadership, including:

1. The relationship of leaders to followers: the more numerous the latter, the greater the influence of the former ("A large population is a king’s glory, but without subjects a prince is ruined" Prov 14:28). Leaders are not leaders if they do not have followers!
2.  The need to seek counsel (Prov 15:22: "Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed") not always in accord with one's wishes (c.f. Absalom in 2 Sa 17 and Moses in Ex 18)
3. The responsibility of a leader to speak wisely, with correct judgement (Prov 16:10: "An oracle is on the lips of a king; his mouth does not sin in judgment."
4. 4. Acting according to the highest standards of God's law (Prov 16:12 "Kings detest wrongdoing,for a throne is established through righteousness"). There should not only be personal integrity, or an avoidance of wrongdoing, but a certain fearlessness to rebuke sinful behaviour as well (c.f. Paul and Peter, Gal 2:11-14)
5. Always loving to hear the truth, even if it is unpleasant. (Prov 16:13 "Righteous lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right."). So a leader should affirm true speech and accept right criticism.
6. Being careful to control one's emotions (Prov 16:14-15: "A king's wrath is a messenger of death, and a wise man will appease it.¹⁵ In the light of a king's face there is life,    and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain."). Leaders are in a position to cause great harm or great good because of their positive and negative emotions.
7. Being discerning to tell what is good, bad, excellent or mediocre (Prov 20:8  "When a king sits on his throne to judge, he winnows out all evil with his eyes."). Winnowing is to separate truth from error.
8.  Dealing with troublemakers (Prov 20:26 "A wise king winnows out the wicked;he drives the threshing wheel over them."), c.f. Tit 3:10-11)
9. Balancing truth and love (Prov 20:28  "Love and faithfulness keep a king safe;through love his throne is made secure" )
10. Submitting to God's direction and purposes (Prov 21:1 "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will."). This is also an encouraging truth about God's sovereignty when we have non-Christian leaders over us.
11. The need to keep learning (Prov 25:2 "It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.").
12. The need to act with understanding and discernment in difficult situations when there are many leadership voices, or unstable leadership ( Prov 28:2 "When a land transgresses, it has many rulers, but with a man of understanding and knowledge, its stability will long continue").
13. 13. The need to reject rumours and falsehoods and to find out the truth for ourselves (Prov 29:12 "If a ruler listens to falsehood,  all his officials will be wicked")

In Prov 31:1-9 kings are taught not to cloud their judgement with alcohol, lest they compromise their principles. The leader must pay special attention to the needs of the disadvantaged, poor and helpless that they are leading. These are those who can give nothing back to their leaders, so that there is no advantage to leaders caring for them.

The NT has qualifications and injunctions for elders and deacons in the church:

1. The deacons in Acts 6:3 were of "good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom"
2. An overseer "must be above reproach, the husband of one wife,sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, ³ not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. ⁴ He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, ⁵ for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? ⁶ He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. ⁷ Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil." (1 Ti 3:2-7)
3. A deacon must be "dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. ⁹ They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. ¹⁰ And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. ¹¹ Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. ¹² Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well." (1 Ti 3: 8-12)
4. An elder must be "above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. ⁷ For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, ⁸ but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. ⁹ He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it." (Tit 1:6)

So, basically, Christian leaders are chosen according to the highest standards of godliness. Their families should show evidence of faithful leadership. Elders differ from deacons in that they are able to teach and defend sound doctrine.

Edmund Chan's characterization of intentional leadership does not supplement Scripture. They are specific ways to apply broad Scriptural principles. We cannot practice them without first being devoted disciples of Christ. Before we lead others, we must first lead ourselves.